The present invention relates generally to predictive tests for determining the risk of future onset of coronary artery disease, and more particularly to the use of new methods for combining test results for serum total bilirubin with test results for cholesterol to make new ratios as risk predictors for coronary artery disease.
This invention adds to and improves on the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,667, issued Jan. 10, 1995, to Harvey A. Schwertner, a co-inventor of the present invention, titled Serum Bilirubin and Liver Function Tests as Risk Predictors for Coronary Artery Disease, the invention description of which is incorporated by reference into this description.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,667 showed new non-lipid risk factors for predicting coronary heart disease, most specifically that subacute levels of serum total bilirubin are a significant independent risk predictor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The patent also showed that the ratio of total cholesterol to bilirubin may be used in place of HDL-cholesterol or the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol as a predictor for CAD.
The present invention is the result of additional studies involving bilirubin concentrations and cholesterol levels that provide improved predictive abilities.
There is always a need for improved risk factors for predicting the risk of future coronary artery disease.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide improved coronary risk information.
It is a feature of the present invention that it uses information generally already available from tests already routinely performed.
It is another feature of the present invention that it can be used to diagnose health or the absence of disease.
It is an advantage of the present invention that it improves specificity, sensitivity and accuracy of predictive tests for CAD.
It is another advantage of the present invention that its use will result in fewer false predictions.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention that its use will result in treatment for individuals with CAD to begin at an earlier age.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description of certain representative embodiments proceeds.